Eclipsed Realms: The Tamer's Path

After finishing my lunch, I called a meeting with my partners to reflect on the battles against Elias. It was clear that some issues needed addressing, and we weren't going to move forward without figuring out what went wrong and how to fix it.

Sitting in my room, I pulled up a projection of the fights, replaying the moments where things fell apart. The others gathered in my taming space, watching closely, their expressions varying from curiosity to frustration.

"So, let's start with the obvious," I began. "The fight with Elias showed I lack experience in close combat. I'm not blind to that. But the bigger problem is my lack of tamer skills. If I'd had the right abilities, Asura wouldn't have lost—period."

Asura crossed his arms, his aura of confidence unshaken despite the loss. "Indeed. My immunity to most of the wyvern's abilities should have made me the victor. You, however, failed to support me as a tamer should."

I winced but nodded. "I know. I could've given you the edge with proper skills. The Release Restraint ability wouldn't have mattered if I'd planned and supported you better."

Turning to Nyx, I continued, "Then there's you. Nyx, we both know your defiance of my commands didn't help, but let's be honest—most of the blame is still on me. I wasn't equipped to handle the situation effectively."

Nyx let out a low growl, his shadowy form flickering. "I'll admit, I overstepped. But you must understand, human—when my instincts demand action, restraint feels like a betrayal of my nature."

"I get it," I said, sighing. "But if we're going to work as a team, we need to trust each other completely. That means you follow my lead, even when it goes against your instincts."

Nyx grumbled something unintelligible but didn't argue further.

The others remained silent, their expressions thoughtful. Despite my shortcomings, none of them disrespected me. They understood I was a new tamer, and they were willing to work through these issues with me.

"So, how do we fix this?" I asked, looking at everyone. "The lack of fighting experience will improve with time and more battles. But the tamer skills? I need guidance—reading books isn't enough. I don't even know where to start."

Voltis, my electric eagle, crackled softly. "Then seek guidance from someone who does. Regulus may have connections to someone who can teach you."

I nodded. "That's the plan. But before that, we need to discuss something else—the offers from the guilds."

I pulled up the proposals and explained them to the group.

Crimson Blades' Offer:

A Silver-ranked teacher for guidance.

Bronze equipment now; Silver equipment upon ranking up.

Resources for partners and help capturing new ones.

The option to join Elias's squad.

A $1 million monthly salary.

Requirement to reach Silver rank within two years and participate in elite squad missions.

Silver Horizon's Offer:

Guidance from a mentor in strategy and magical research.

Equipment upgrades similar to Crimson Blades.

A $1 million monthly salary.

A personal lab and research funding upon proving capabilities.

Requirement to reach Silver rank within three years (five if working on a project).

Focus on advancing research in fields like monster evolution, magical runes, spells, or new technologies.

Once I finished explaining, I asked for their opinions.

"Asura?" I prompted.

"Crimson," he said without hesitation. "You need combat training, and I refuse to be humiliated again. That guild will make you strong enough to stand against Elias."

Elythia, my fairy, chimed in, "Crimson. I don't like Elias, but fighting alongside him will teach you more than any book ever could."

The others, however, were unanimous in their support for Silver Horizon. Voltis, Lilia, and even Nyx favored the research-oriented guild.

Nyx spoke first, his voice a dark rumble. "There is no point in learning under someone you'll never surpass. Elias has been on this path far longer than you. Why remain in his shadow when you could carve your own?"

Elythia sighed. "I hate to agree with him, but Nyx has a point. You're not a natural close-combat fighter, Akira. You're a thinker. Silver Horizon suits your strengths better."

"I think so too," Voltis added. "This path will help all of us grow—not just you. Their focus on research could uncover things that benefit the whole team."

Nyx, ever the contrarian, smirked. "Of course, this is just a stepping stone. Once you prove yourself, we can seek out the Dark Lords. Their knowledge far surpasses these human wizards."

I raised an eyebrow. "So... you're suggesting we enroll in some kind of school?"

"Don't sound so surprised," Nyx said, his tone indignant. "Even hunters have societies, Akira. Learning is a sign of strength."

I chuckled. "Fair enough. Still, it's hard to imagine creatures like you sitting in classrooms."

The conversation devolved into a debate about the merits of various monster empires, with Nyx and the bat passionately defending the Dark Empire while others championed their respective allegiances.

I finally cut them off. "Enough. Let's focus on what matters—our improvement. I'll reach out to Regulus to arrange for a mentor."

With that, we concluded the meeting. I made a mental note to prioritize finding someone who could teach me tamer skills. But first, it was time to meet with Regulus and figure out the next steps.

Once it was decided that I needed to meet Regulus, I sent him a message requesting an appointment. He was the leader of this town, so barging into his office unannounced wasn't exactly appropriate. As expected, he didn't respond immediately. When he finally did, his reply was brief: "Come by after an hour."

With some time to kill, I decided to visit the library again. There was still so much I needed to learn about taming and energy manipulation. Meanwhile, I instructed my partners to spar within the Taming Space. It was a good way for them to get used to each other's fighting styles while improving their overall abilities.

---

The library was quieter than usual when I arrived. I found a secluded spot far from the scattered visitors and dove into a stack of books on taming basics, energy, and skills. It felt like opening a door to a much broader understanding of the world I was now part of.

I started with energy. Apparently, energy wasn't a single, universal force—it varied depending on its source. For tamers like me, the energy we used was a combination of life force and soul energy. Life force came from the cells of our physical body, while soul energy originated from our spirit or essence. These two energies blended to form what many called "Ki" or "Essence."

Relying too heavily on either side—body or soul—could weaken the energy's quality and put additional strain on the tamer. To maximize potential, both aspects needed to be nurtured. Physical training could strengthen the body, but the soul's growth required absorbing energy from the world around us.

This energy wasn't unique to tamers, though. It was fundamental to the natural order of the universe, a truth revealed to humanity by beings of light. Civilized societies used specialized techniques to absorb and refine energy from their surroundings, a process that steadily enhanced their strength.

But there was another, darker path to growth: consuming the energy of defeated creatures. This method was faster but came with a ceiling—eventually, the individual's growth would stagnate. True mastery required a balance: regular training, life-and-death battles, and the wisdom to know when to rely on which method.

---

I paused for a moment, letting that sink in. This wasn't a video game. It was a system rooted in the laws of the universe. I'd been approaching it with a "level up" mindset, and now I realized how shortsighted that was. If I wanted to grow, I needed to take this seriously.

I flipped through the next chapter, which talked about energy on a larger scale. Apparently, the energy available to a world depended on the strength of its core. Worlds like the Core World—home to massive empires—had abundant, pure energy because they actively drained power from other universes. Some empires even harvested the energy of stars to fuel their growth.

This wasn't just an academic fact. It explained why Earth, my home world, was at risk. These powerful creatures and civilizations didn't care about our little planet. Earth would simply be collateral damage in their endless quest for power.

---

As I shifted to the section on taming skills, I glanced at the time. I didn't have much left before my meeting, so I skimmed through the basics.

Tamer skills were categorized into levels:

First-Level Skills: Basic energy manipulation. This was where most tamers started—learning to channel energy to enhance themselves or their partners.

Second-Level Skills: Energy manipulation combined with runes—a magical language of the world. Bronze-ranked tamers often mastered at least a few second-level skills, as these allowed for more advanced techniques.

It was clear that I barely scratched the surface of what I needed to learn. If I wanted to catch up to tamers like Elias, I had a long road ahead.

---

With time running out, I closed the book and made my way to Regulus's office. My mind was buzzing with everything I'd read, but there was one truth I couldn't ignore: I needed guidance. Training on my own would only take me so far. Hopefully, Regulus could point me in the right direction.

When I arrived at his office, I knocked on the heavy oak door. A deep voice called out, "Come in."

As I stepped inside, Regulus looked up from his desk, his sharp eyes studying me. "You've been busy," he remarked.

I nodded. "There's a lot to learn. But that's why I'm here. I need guidance, and I think you might be able to help."

Regulus leaned back in his chair, a small smile forming on his lips. "Let's see what we can do."